Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to perform image formation using a component unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: an access unit configured to access a storage device included in the component unit attached to the main body; and a control unit configured to control the access unit to read and update information stored in the storage device. The storage device includes a first area and a second area configured to store use information indicating a use state of the component unit, and updating of the use information stored in the first area by the control unit is configured such that updating only within a predetermined limit is permitted, and no limit is provided on updating of the use information stored in the second area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming portion, a second image forming portion, a belt, a charging voltage applying portion, and a transfer voltage applying portion. With respect to a movement direction of a recording material, the first image forming portion is provided upstream of the second image forming portion. In an image forming operation, a potential difference between a first transfer voltage and a potential at a first transfer portion, which is formed on a first image bearing member and does not form the image, is greater than a potential difference between a second transfer voltage and a potential at a second transfer portion, which is formed on a second image bearing member and does not form an image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming portion, a second image forming portion, a belt, a charging voltage applying portion, and a transfer voltage applying portion. With respect to a movement direction of a recording material, the first image forming portion is provided upstream of the second image forming portion. In an image forming operation, a potential difference between a first transfer voltage and a potential at a first transfer portion, which is formed on a first image bearing member and does not form the image, is greater than a potential difference between a second transfer voltage and a potential at a second transfer portion, which is formed on a second image bearing member and does not form an image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to perform image formation using a component unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: an access unit configured to access a storage device included in the component unit attached to the main body; and a control unit configured to control the access unit to read and update information stored in the storage device. The storage device includes a first area and a second area configured to store use information indicating a use state of the component unit, and updating of the use information stored in the first area by the control unit is configured such that updating only within a predetermined limit is permitted, and no limit is provided on updating of the use information stored in the second area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming portion, a second image forming portion, a belt, a charging voltage applying portion, and a transfer voltage applying portion. With respect to a movement direction of a recording material, the first image forming portion is provided upstream of the second image forming portion. In an image forming operation, a potential difference between a first transfer voltage and a potential at a first transfer portion, which is formed on a first image bearing member and does not form the image, is greater than a potential difference between a second transfer voltage and a potential at a second transfer portion, which is formed on a second image bearing member and does not form an image.

Abstract: A process cartridge is provided, which is configured to recover, with a developing member, developer remaining on an image bearing member after transfer of a developer image to a transfer receiving member, wherein a charging member has a shaft that is conductive and an elastic layer supported on the shaft and being in contact with the image bearing member; the elastic layer has a matrix containing a first rubber, and a plurality of domains containing a second rubber and an electron-conductive agent and interspersed within the matrix. The electric resistance of the domains is lower than the electric resistance of the matrix. The matrix is exposed on an outer surface of the elastic layer and forms multiple depressed portions, and the domains include a domains exposed at a bottom section of the depressed portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming portion, a second image forming portion, a belt, a charging voltage applying portion, and a transfer voltage applying portion. With respect to a movement direction of the recording material, the first image forming portion is provided upstream of the second image forming portion. In an image forming operation, a potential difference between the first transfer voltage and a potential, at the first transfer portion, which is formed on the first image bearing member and does not form the image is larger than a potential difference between the second transfer voltage and a potential, at the second transfer portion, which is formed on the second image bearing member and does not form the image.

Abstract: A developer bearing member including: a rotational shaft; and an elastic layer on an outer circumference surface of the rotational shaft, developer being borne on a surface of the elastic layer, wherein the elastic layer is configured such that a load per unit area of a contact portion between one surface of a flat glass plate and the surface of the elastic layer is to be 5.8 N/mm2 or more, in a state that the one surface of the flat glass plate being parallel with an axis direction of the rotational shaft and the one surface of the flat glass plate coming into contact with the surface of the elastic layer with a predetermined penetration level, and wherein a ten-point average roughness Rzjis on the surface of the elastic layer is greater than a volume-average particle diameter of a particle of the developer.

Abstract: A process cartridge is provided, which is configured to recover, with a developing member, developer remaining on an image bearing member after transfer of a developer image to a transfer receiving member, wherein a charging member has a shaft that is conductive and an elastic layer supported on the shaft and being in contact with the image bearing member; the elastic layer has a matrix containing a first rubber, and a plurality of domains containing a second rubber and an electron-conductive agent and interspersed within the matrix. The electric resistance of the domains is lower than the electric resistance of the matrix. The matrix is exposed on an outer surface of the elastic layer and forms multiple depressed portions, and the domains include a domains exposed at a bottom section of the depressed portion.

Abstract: A developer bearing member including: a rotational shaft; and an elastic layer on an outer circumference surface of the rotational shaft, developer being borne on a surface of the elastic layer, wherein the elastic layer is configured such that a load per unit area of a contact portion between one surface of a flat glass plate and the surface of the elastic layer is to be 5.8 N/mm2 or more, in a state that the one surface of the flat glass plate being parallel with an axis direction of the rotational shaft and the one surface of the flat glass plate coming into contact with the surface of the elastic layer with a predetermined penetration level, and wherein a ten-point average roughness Rzjis on the surface of the elastic layer is greater than a volume-average particle diameter of a particle of the developer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging unit that charges the image bearing member by discharge, a developing unit that rotates while being in contact with the image bearing member and supplies a developer to the image bearing member, a transfer unit that transfers a developer image from the image bearing member to a transferred member, a detecting unit that detects an electric current flowing or a voltage generated when a direct-current voltage less than a discharge starting voltage is applied to a contact member in contact with the image bearing member, and a control unit that executes detection using the detecting unit in a non-image-forming period, wherein when the detection result satisfies a first condition, the control unit starts a rotating operation for rotating the developing member, and wherein when the detection result satisfies a second condition, the control unit terminates the rotating operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge including an electronic storage device can detachably be attached, comprises: an obtaining unit that obtains control information used for image formation from a first area of the electronic storage device and obtain determination information used to determine correctness of the control information stored in the first area from a second area configured to store the determination information; a determination unit that determines the correctness of the control information based on the control information and the determination information; and a control unit that, if the determination unit determines that the control information is correct, controls image formation using the control information obtained by the obtaining unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging unit that charges the image bearing member by discharge, a developing unit that rotates while being in contact with the image bearing member and supplies a developer to the image bearing member, a transfer unit that transfers a developer image from the image bearing member to a transferred member, a detecting unit that detects an electric current flowing or a voltage generated when a direct-current voltage less than a discharge starting voltage is applied to a contact member in contact with the image bearing member, and a control unit that executes detection using the detecting unit in a non-image-forming period, wherein when the detection result satisfies a first condition, the control unit starts a rotating operation for rotating the developing member, and wherein when the detection result satisfies a second condition, the control unit terminates the rotating operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge including an electronic storage device can detachably be attached, comprises: an obtaining unit that obtains control information used for image formation from a first area of the electronic storage device and obtain determination information used to determine correctness of the control information stored in the first area from a second area configured to store the determination information; a determination unit that determines the correctness of the control information based on the control information and the determination information; and a control unit that, if the determination unit determines that the control information is correct, controls image formation using the control information obtained by the obtaining unit.

Abstract: At an end, in a longitudinal direction, of an opening in a container containing a magnetic developer, an overlap portion is provided in which a developer bearing member, a regulating member, a sealing member, and the container are arranged so as to sequentially contact one another in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis direction. A magnetic field generating member provided inside the developer bearing member has a first area where a value of a magnetic flux density is a predetermined value in the rotation axis direction and a second area including a local minimum portion in which the value is a minimum value, within a range from an end of the second area connected to the first area to an outer end of the overlap portion in the rotation axis direction.

Abstract: A developer container includes a frame, provided with an opening, for accommodating a developer; a sealing member, including a folded-back portion, for sealing the opening; and a sandwiching portion for sandwiching the folded-back portion of the sealing member. In a plane perpendicular to the opening, the sealing member is nonwelded in the sandwiching portion.

Abstract: With a first line segment being a line segment that joins an axis line of a developer carrier and an axis line of an image carrier, a second line segment being a line segment that joins a position, which is a position on the surface of the developer carrier at which the magnetic flux density of a magnetic pole is maximal, and the axis line of the developer carrier, and a third line segment being a line segment that joins a downstream end portion, in a rotation direction of the developer carrier, then among angles in the rotation direction of the developer carrier, a first angle formed by the first line segment and the second line segment is larger than 0° and equal to or smaller than a second angle formed by the first line segment and the third line segment.

Abstract: At an end, in a longitudinal direction, of an opening in a container containing a magnetic developer, an overlap portion is provided in which a developer bearing member, a regulating member, a sealing member, and the container are arranged so as to sequentially contact one another in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis direction. A magnetic field generating member provided inside the developer bearing member has a first area where a value of a magnetic flux density is a predetermined value in the rotation axis direction and a second area including a local minimum portion in which the value is a minimum value, within a range from an end of the second area connected to the first area to an outer end of the overlap portion in the rotation axis direction.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning apparatus including a cleaning member configured to collect developer on an image bearing member, and a storage chamber configured to store the developer, wherein cross-sectional areas of a lengthwise center and an end portion of the storage chamber in a lengthwise direction of the storage chamber are different, the cross sections being orthogonal to the lengthwise direction.

Abstract: With a first line segment being a line segment that joins an axis line of a developer carrier and an axis line of an image carrier, a second line segment being a line segment that joins a position, which is a position on the surface of the developer carrier at which the magnetic flux density of a magnetic pole is maximal, and the axis line of the developer carrier, and a third line segment being a line segment that joins a downstream end portion, in a rotation direction of the developer carrier, then among angles in the rotation direction of the developer carrier, a first angle formed by the first line segment and the second line segment is larger than 0° and equal to or smaller than a second angle formed by the first line segment and the third line segment.